Bin-filling shut-off



M. L. AND A. L. BREMER.

BIN FILLING SHUT-OFF.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1921.

Patented July 25, 1922.

sTArEs PATENT GEE-1GP...

MARTIN L. BREMER AND ALVIN L. BREMIER, OF ELCBERON, IOWA.

BIN-FILLING- SHUT-OFF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1922.

Application fil ed November 7, 1921. Serial No. 513,516.

To all w/wmit may concern:

Be it known that we, MARTIN L. BREMER and ALvrN L. BnnMnR, citizens of the United States, residing at Elberon, in the county of Tania and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bin-Filling Shut-Offs; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to warehouse elevators. more especially those used for'the storage of grain. and the object of the invention is to provide means for automatically stopping the flow of grain into any particular bin when the same is filled to capacity. v

The invention isfully disclosed in the description and claims following, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawing, in which apparatus em'bodyingthe invention is shown in a single figure in perspective.

In the drawing, the numeral 5 denotes the shaft of a grain elevator, shown conventionally and greatly reduced in proportionate height. This has suitable feed hoppers 6 leadingby short chutes 7 to the lower loop of the conveyor 8. The chutes are provided with vertically sliding gates 9, whereby the flow of grain from the hoppers may be regulated or entirely cut off. The discharge side of the elevator near the top has a chute 10, with an outlet 11 to receive a discharge-pipe 12, by which the grain is dropped into adjacent bins 13. In so far the apparatus is of familiar construction, and need not be particularly described.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for automatically closing the supply gates, so that the attendant is not obliged to spend time needlessly in climbing to the top of the building and watching the filling of bins to prevent an overflow.

In the path of the discharging grain, preferably in the chute 10 is mounted a paddle 14L, pivoted to a support 15, and adapted to swing upwardly as the chute fills with grain. backed up from the dischargepipe. To the upper end of the paddle-lever 14 is connected. a rod 16, or the like, which on the lifting of the paddle serves to close an electric switch 17 in circuit with an electro-magnet 18, which trips the automatic apparatus now to be described.

The upper part of the gate is provided with a tail 9?, and against this on one side is fixed an abutment 19; On the opposite side of the tail is pivoted a pressure-block 20, faced with leather 20 This supports the gate frictionally when held in place by a cam-lever 21. A hand-lever 22 and its link 23 serve for manipulating the gate by hand. On the face of the elevator shaft at right angles to the lock-lever 21 is pivoted a trip lever 2 1-. which dropping by gravity strikes the lock-lever, and thus releases the gates and this by its own gravity drops and shuts off the flow of grain. The trip lever is held normally nearly erect by a latch 25, which is the armature of the magnet above referred to. Both the trip-lever and the latch are of metal, and when innormal position form a part of the electric circuit, as

will appear presently.

dry battery 26 supplies the current. This connects at one side with the trip-lever or its pivot by a conductor a. Another con- 1 ductor b connects the latch with the magnet coil at one end. The other end connects by a conductor 0 with one terminal of the switch 17. Its other terminal connects by a conductor 03 with the other side of the battery. In this'leg of the circuit may be interposed a hand-switch 27, for convenience. and in order to give audible warning of the action of the apparatus, a bell 28 is placed in circuit, as indicated.

The operation of the apparatus will be evident. Instantly, on the abnormal lifting of the grain-level paddle, the elevated gate is released, and drops to position to stop the flow of grain into the elevator. The sounding of the alarm at the same time notifies the attendant of the filling of that bin. He may be completely occupied at the time with other matters, but is not obliged to rush with all possible haste to stop the flow of rain, an d thus prevent an overflow above. lit his convenience, and without any stoppage of machinery. he may go aloft. adjust the discharge-pipe for another bin, and then reset the gate and its tripping mechanism as before.

In the case of an elevator provided with a double hopper supply, which is a common construction. the gate-supporting mechanism is duplicated, as also the trip-lever and its supporting latch. It is not necessary, however, to provide another releasing magnet, since the auxiliary latch 25 for the other trip-lever 24* may connect by a rod 29 with a short arm 24- of the primary trip-lever, and the single .magnet serve for the release of both trip-levers almost simultaneously.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Combined with bin-fillin mechanism. a switch-closer actuated. by the rise of grain. a gate to regulate the flow of material to the bin-filler, means adapted to hold the gate in open position, trip-mechanism to release the gate-holder, a magnet-actuated latch therefor, a source ot electrical energy, and a magnet in circuit therewith and with the switch.

2. Combined with an elevator and its bin.- filliug' outlet, an electric-switch I closer actuated by the rise of grain, a gate adapted to shut oil the flow of grain to the elevator. means to hold the gate in open position, a gravity trip-lever to release the same, a magnetically actuated latch to hold the tripleyer in normal. position, a source of electrical energy, and a magnet in circuit therewith and with the switch, and adapted when energized to release said latch.

Combined with an elevator and its bin- [illing outlet, an electric-switch closer actuated by the rise of grain in the outlet, a gravity gate adapted to shut off the flow of material to the elevator, a lock-lever to sup port the gate frictionally, and disposed in the path of a gravity trip-lever, a trip-lever, a latch therefor, a magnet adapted to release said latch, a source of electrical energy, and a switch, closed as aforesaid, and an alarmsounder in circuit with the magnet and said source of energy.

4-. Combined with an elevator, a shut-off gate, means to hold the gate suspended :trictionally, a lock-lever therefor, a trip-lever to release the lock-lever. a latch to hold the trip-lever normally, a magnet to release said latch, a sourceot electrical energy, a con- 'nection of the magnet therewith through the trip-lever and latch. a switch in the electrical circuit, and means operable by the rise of material as discharged by the elevator, to close said switch.

Combined with an elevator having plural supply inlets and shut-.ofi." gates therefor, means to hold said gates open, a releasing trip-lever for each, and retaining latches, a connection of one such trip-lever with the latchoit the other trip-lever. an electro-magnet to release the other latch. a switch in 

